A Dreamer's Reality
by BugBuzzard
Summary: (Chapters 14 and 15 added) Post ATY. MultiPOV. Francie gets roped into Syd's life.
1. Chapter 1

Title: A Dreamer's Reality  
  
Author: Chelsea*Bug (a.k.a. cia/cag)  
  
Rating: PG-13 (probably only PG, but there is violence)  
  
Summary: Post ATY. Will's mistake will change everyone's life.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Alias. This is simply fanfiction. FANfiction, get it? I'm just a fan! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Chapter 1  
  
"I assume you weren't expecting to see me." Sydney was stunned. "I pity you Sydney. Having to suffer through your mother's death only to find out that she hadn't died at all.  
  
"I've known for a long time that we would meet again. From the day you were born, I knew that we would be a great team. Now, almost 30 years later, I present you with that option. Really, you don't have a choice. If you refuse me, you will die. I believe that you've experienced enough death in your lifetime, without adding yourself to the list."  
  
"You have no idea." That was all she could manage. That one simple sentence was all that was able to escape her clouded mind.  
  
She had experienced too much death. The people that she truly loved were becoming few and far between. In less than 30 years she had lost her mother, Danny, Noah, and most recently, Vaughn. Just the name was enough to send her into depression. How could she have failed him? Why did he come after her? He should have stayed put, but instead he'd come to help her. He loved her and it'd killed him. Good going, Syd, she thought sarcastically, four down and four to go.  
  
******  
  
"Um, Mr. Tippin, would you mind letting me go?" The poor man was still hugging Jack; he was desperate. It was almost like he was afraid that something horrible, and unimaginable, would happen to him if he let go.  
  
"Oh, right." When he finally let him go, he refused to look Jack in the eye, so great was his embarrassment. "I didn't expect to see you, Jack." The words didn't need to be spoken. It was obvious that he had wanted Sydney to come rescue him, again.  
  
"Will, Sydney is not some toy, that you use for your amusement."  
  
"Yeah, I know. It's just that..." he couldn't finish.  
  
"You like it don't you? That she is what she is."  
  
"I don't know, I guess--maybe."  
  
"And with good reason." Jack and Will spun around to see a soaked, but good-looking, man, dressed in black.  
  
"Who the-" Will began, but Jack cut him off.  
  
"Where's Sydney?"  
  
"I thought she'd be here with you." Vaughn replied.  
  
"Wait a minute, hold on. Sydney's here?" Will was completely caught off guard by this. He'd assumed, when he saw Jack, that Sydney had not come, but obviously he'd been wrong. She'd been here all along, with this man. "Jack, who is this guy?"  
  
"His identity is of no importance, Mr. Tippin."  
  
"But-"  
  
"My name is Michael Vaughn. I'm a friend of Sydney's." Jack glared at him, but continued.  
  
"Why isn't Sydney with you? What happened? Exactly." He was becoming more worried by the minute.  
  
"I'm not sure. When she got to the lab, there was some kind of interference, and I couldn't tell what she was saying, so I went to check on her. By the time I got to her, she'd already set off the explosion--"  
  
"Explosion?" Will couldn't imagine Sydney blowing something up. Well, actually, after thinking about it, he decided that he liked the thought of her with explosives.  
  
Vaughn gave Will an annoyed look, then continued with his story. "I'd only gotten about half-way down the hall, when I saw her come running around the corner. I don't know what happened, but, for some reason, she was running from..."  
  
"From what?"  
  
"Water. It was like a tidal wave." Vaughn paused to collect himself. The experience had shaken him pretty badly. "The explosion must have triggered an alarm, or something, because the door was closing on us. She made it through, barely, but I didn't. The last time I saw her, she was trying to break out the window to get me out. I assumed that she would come back here, so when I found an air vent, I managed to crawl through the ducts and.here I am."  
  
"Something must have happened to her." It was a waste of Jack's breath. Even Will could tell that something had gone wrong."  
  
"We've got to go save her, Jack!" Will to the rescue, that was all they needed.  
  
"No, Will, you're not going anywhere. You've not been trained for this."  
  
"Just give me a gun, and I can help."  
  
"No. If we were to give you a gun, you'd probably get us all killed."  
  
"We can't just leave him here," Vaughn said, "Khasinau might change his mind, and take him back."  
  
"We don't have any other choice." Vaughn saw the truth in Jack's statement, but he knew that Sydney would never forgive him if Will were recaptured. 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
  
When Sydney woke up, after a night of tortured dreams and nightmares, the first thing she realized was that she wasn't alone. Khasinau was sitting in front of her, silently observing.  
  
"You thought I was "The Man," didn't you."  
  
Sydney didn't answer. This man was a mystery. She had assumed that he was an evil monster, but the man that sat before her, seemed as gentle as a Teddy bear. Something about the way that he was looking at her piqued her interest. "Why are you just starring at me? Shouldn't you be ripping out my finger nails or something?"  
  
"That's not my job." That one, bored, comment was all he gave her. He didn't get up to leave, or move at all, for that matter. He just continued to sit and stare.  
  
"You were very good in Paris. I enjoyed it very much."  
  
"Yeah, so much that you tried to have me killed."  
  
Khasinau didn't reply to that, instead he glanced down at his watch and said, "We'll have to continue this conversation later. Your mother wants to talk to you."  
  
Her mother. Sydney was still getting used to the fact that her evil captor wasn't Alexander Khasinau, it was her mother, a women she had once loved and admired. A woman who had lied to and deceived her. A woman who had murdered twelve CIA officers, thirteen including Vaughn. Her eyes fill with tears, like they did every time she thought of him, every time she pictured him trapped in his watery grave.  
  
She didn't lift her head when she heard the door open; there was no need. She already know who would be standing there, and she didn't want to see her.  
  
"How did you sleep Sydney?" She paused, waiting for a reply, but when she didn't receive one she continued, "As good as can as possible, when one is tied to a chair, I'm sure." She sat in the seat that Khasinau had previously vacated. "Enough pleasantries. As you know, I am awaiting your decision. I do not want to kill you, so I am willing to try persuasion.  
  
When Sydney refused to look at her, Irina became furious. "Sydney, are you stupid enough to die, when I am clearly willing to let you live? Obviously, Jack rubbed off on you more than I would've thought. You're as stubborn and stupid as he ever was."  
  
Bringing Jack into the conversation was the worst thing that Irina could have done. "How dare you?" Sydney's voice was a furious whisper. "My father is one of the best men I've ever known."  
  
"I'm surprised you feel that way, considering--"  
  
He was good to me and loyal to his country. If I remind you of him...then I've finally done something worth while."  
  
"I see my efforts here were wasted." She stood up and pulled a gun from its holster, hidden beneath her jacket. "I told you that if you refused me you would die. It seems like such a waste to kill you." She aimed the gun at Sydney. "We could have been great."  
  
She closed her eyes and waited for the shot. After, what seemed like hours, it came. Instead of the expected explosion of pain, she felt something fall on top of her, toppling her chair over and smashing her head against the concrete floor. Just before she slipped into unconsciousness, she heard a man whisper, "You may have been willing to kill my daughter, but I wasn't." 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
  
"Will, Jack and I have to go after Sydney, and there's no way to know what we're going to run into." Vaughn felt sorry for the guy. He was still covered in blood, and was obviously miserable. "You're more likely to end up dead in there, than out here." He could tell that Will was offended by their lack of faith in him.  
  
Jack saw it too, and knew that the only way to handle this man was to be flat out hostile. "What Agent Vaughn means, is that we're going after Sydney, and you are going to stay right here."  
  
Will started to protest, but Jack had heard enough. "You listen to me. The only reason that you're standing here right now is because of my daughter. She's experienced enough pain for two lifetimes, and if saving your life keeps her from another heartbreak, then I'm going to do everything in my power to see it done. Now get in the Jeep, and stay down. There's a medical kit and a change of clothes in the back. Be ready to let us in when we get back. I don't know what state Sydney will be in when we find her, so make sure you're prepared to open up the back. Understand?"  
  
Will stood there, looking like an abused puppy, lonely and frightened. Obviously, Jack's tirade had knocked him down a couple of notches. The only indication he gave that he was paying attention was a barely noticeable nod.  
  
"Good. Remember, stay hidden." Jack turned toward the Jeep, and pulled out two handguns.  
  
While Jack was checking the loads, Vaughn walked over to try and comfort Will. He lifted his hand to lay it on the man's shoulder, but the distant sound of a gunshot stopped him. He spun around and saw Jack running toward him with a panic-stricken face mirroring his own. He grabbed the gun that Jack handed him and they, in unison, ordered Will into the Jeep.  
  
As Will watched the two men run way, he wondered at the look that Jack and Vaughn had shared. Did the think that it had something to do with Syd? Please God, no, was the only thought that swam through his still jumbled mind. 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4  
  
Jack and Vaughn ran as hard as they could in the direction that they'd heard the shot. They both knew that Sydney was the reason for it, but the didn't want to believe it. The thought of losing this woman, that they loved so much, was unbearable. Both had only recently realized the depth of their love for her.  
  
The two men were both forced to push their emotions aside. If they allowed their actions to be controlled by them, they would get themselves killed. Seeing Sydney may be enough to send them both into a blind rage, depending on her condition, if they were too emotional.  
  
When they reached the door that they wanted, they opened it, raced down the hall, and rounded the corner at the end. They saw a man run out of a room and head directly for them. He was carrying a gun. Vaughn pulled his own, but stopped just short of firing. He'd almost shot Will Tippin.  
  
"I told you to stay put!" Jack was barely holding his temper. "What if you'd been seen? Do you know what could've happened to you--to Sydney! -- if you'd been caught?"  
  
"I couldn't just sit there and do nothing!" Now Will was furious. "She risked her life to save me? Twice!"  
  
"And now," Vaughn cut in, "it may have been all for nothing!"  
  
"We'll talk about this later! As far as we know, Sydney may have been shot. She may even be dead, so now is not the time for this argument."  
  
Just then they heard someone moan. It was barely audible, but definitely female, and coming from the door opposite the one Will had used. Vaughn was the first one to respond. "I'm going in." When he saw that Jack was about to argue, he decided to stand up to this man that he admired so much. "We both know that I have no agent training, but someone has to protect Will. He's the reason we're here. Think about what Sydney would want. Will has a better chance with you. Besides, I started this mission with Sydney, and I'm going to be the one to finish it with her." With that, he turned and walked through the door.  
  
What he saw was enough to stop Vaughn in his tracks. Sydney and Irina were lying in a pool of blood. He couldn't tell who's it was. His heart clenched when he realized that neither one was moving. Both dead, he thought. We're too late. He walked over and knelt beside his beloved Sydney. He reached down to brush the hair out of her face, but before he had the chance, she let out another moan. "Sydney? Sydney!" She didn't respond. "I have to get you out of here."  
  
The first task was to get her from beneath her mother. When he rolled Irina over, he could see that she was dead, shot through the heart.  
  
The next task was to find a key for Syd's handcuffs. He searched Irina's body, but he couldn't find the key. Not wanting to waste anymore time, he spread her hands apart and shot the chain.  
  
Jack and Will entered after hearing Vaughn's shot. The first thing that Jack saw was his wife's body. He walked over to her and took one glance before his eyes filled with tears, and his heart with rage. When he turned and saw Vaughn kneeling close by with a gun in hand, he lashed out and kicked Vaughn in the middle of the back. "You just had to do it didn't you? You decided that you'd avenge your father by killing my wife! Laura..." he didn't finish. His anger had blocked his senses. He'd realized that this woman was a murderer, but it hadn't fully registered. When he realized what he'd said, and the name he's used, he remembered that she had betrayed him. "I-I'm sorry Vaughn. I..."  
  
During Jack's outburst, Vaughn had scooped Syd up off the floor and turned to face the two other men, silencing Jack and stunning Will.  
  
"Sydney?" Will couldn't believe that this was the same woman that he'd known for so many years, the same woman that he had learned to love. Even if Paris, with that crazy red hair, she had still been Sydney, a very scary Syd, but her none-the-less. Now, though, he couldn't find that woman anywhere. He couldn't explain it, but this woman in the black plastic pants and bra, with a fishnet shirt, looped chocker, blue hair, and dark makeup, was almost...she was just different. Maybe it was the blood that stained her skin, or the way that she laid limp in Vaughn's arms, more than the clothes.  
  
Slowly Will approached Sydney. He could see the large knot on the side of her head. He leaned down until he was only a few inches from her face. Maybe, he thought, if I get close enough I can find her. He reached up and, using his thumb, wiped off her lipstick. Then he licked his index finger, and worked away her eyeliner. With all the makeup gone, her could finally see her. "There you are," he whispered. He gently kissed the knot on her head. He noticed the Vaughn stiffened when he did that, but he chose to ignore it. Just then Syd opened her eyes and threw a hard right hook into the side of Will's face. 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5  
  
Before Syd ever opened her eyes, she know that something had happened. No longer was she lying on the cold floor. Someone was holding her. Slowly she opened her eyes and was startled when she saw a man only inches from her face. She didn't know what else to do, so she hit him. She wasn't handcuffed anymore, so should be easy to escape. After hitting the first man, and instantly dropping him, she brought her elbow back hard against the chin of the man that was holding her. The shock of the impact was enough to cause him to drop her. She jumped up and readied herself for the expected attack.  
  
"Syd, what are you doing?" She knew that voice. "I guess the Bristows hate me today."  
  
"V-Vaughn?" His only response was a crooked grin. "I-I thought you were..."  
  
"No, I'm not."  
  
She ran over and threw her arms around him. She tried to keep her tears of joy from falling, but she failed. "I can't believe it. How did you--?"  
  
"Shh...Don't think about it. I'm just glad you care. For a minute there, I thought that you and Will were...I'll admit, I had my doubts when you punched him, but-"  
  
"Oh my gosh, Will!" She'd completely forgotten about him. She pulled away from Vaughn so quickly that he almost fell, and went over to where Jack was helping Will up off the floor. He looked terrible. His mouth was swollen, he had a black eye, his shirt was covered in blood, and, thanks to her, he also had a bloody nose. She reached out her hand to touch his face, but stopped when he pulled away. "Will what's wrong?"  
  
What's wrong? Let me see...I've just been kidnapped, had my tooth pulled by some psycho dentist, and then I got punched it the face by my friend! I don't know...what could possibly be wrong with me?"  
  
Syd's eyes filled with tears. Tortured--Will had been tortured. "I'm so sorry Will. I should have gotten here sooner, I--did you say that I hit you? I didn't...wait--that was you?" He just starred at her. "Will, it was just a reflex. I opened my eyes, not knowing what was going on, and saw a man only an inch from my face." She could tell that he wasn't convinced, and she needed him to understand. "Will, the last thing I remember seeing, was someone getting ready to shoot me. Then I woke up, and...you just startled me. What were you doing anyway?" Will lowered his head, but not before Sydney saw that he was blushing. She looked at Jack, but instead of getting an answer, he asked a question.  
  
"Syd, I wasn't going to ask this in front of Will, but there's no use trying to protect him now, he's heard, and seen too much. Was it you mother? The one that tried to kill you?" The tears that returned to Syd's eyes, and the pain etched across her face was all the answer he needed.  
  
"Dad, was it you? Were you the one that shot her?"  
  
Jack looked even more confused than ever. "No. You didn't see who it was?"  
  
Syd broke down. She only managed to get out a strangled, "No," before she collapsed back into Vaughn's arms. She never heard Vaughn's soothing words, or Will's confused questions. The only thing she could hear was the words of the man that had saved her life,  
  
"You may have been willing to kill my daughter, but I wasn't." 


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6  
  
"We don't have time for this." Jack was utterly confused about Sydney's behavior, but he knew that they were still in danger. "Sydney, I know this is a difficult time for you, it is for me too, but we're still in danger here. You have to pull yourself together. You and I are the only ones trained for this type of thing. Vaughn is armed and you can have Will's gun."  
  
Vaughn could tell that she was trying to compose herself. He was no longer supporting her wait, she'd straightened up, but she still wasn't willing to let him go.  
  
"Syd?" Will's voice finally gave her a reason to snap out of it. She had to save him. She finally let loose of Vaughn, and turned to face the other two men.  
  
"Ready."  
  
Jack smiled. "Good. I'm glad you're back."  
  
The four of them headed out the door, Syd first, the Jack, followed by Will and Vaughn. Almost as soon as they were through the door, they ran into trouble. Two guards walked around the corner and started hollering at them. "So much for sneaking out," Will moaned.  
  
Syd prepared herself for an attack, but Jack dropped the guards with two well-placed shots. "Dad!" Sydney was shocked that he'd just killed those two men.  
  
"There's not enough time to fight everyone that we come up against."  
  
We don't have to kill them, either!"  
  
"Just make sure they don't get back up."  
  
"Yeah," she said in disgust, "you really need to be trained for this."  
  
As they made their way back to the jeep, they encountered two more groups of guards, each one taken care of as easily as the first. Unfortunately, Syd discovered that making sure the guards didn't get back up was no easy task. If she shot them in the leg, they could still shoot. If she shot them in the arm, they could still fight. The only other option was to shoot them high in the shoulder and hope they didn't die.  
  
Almost there. They just had to get through that door and into the jeep. Jack went first. He threw open the door open, and stepped through the door. Bang! The shot caught them all by surprise, especially Jack. The bullet slammed into Jack's shoulder, the pain was almost unbearable. The last thing he saw was Khasinau, still holding a gun on him.  
  
******  
  
Syd stood in complete silence. She was both shocked and furious. So close, we were so close!  
  
"Sydney..." Khasinau started, but Syd cut him off.  
  
"Don't. I don't want to hear a word of it."  
  
"I can't let you leave, you know that. There's more going on here than you can ever know."  
  
"I know that you shot my father!"  
  
"No, I shot you mother.  
  
"No..."  
  
"Who else could have done it? I was the only other person there, remember?"  
  
She'd heard enough. She raised her gun and fired her last round, hitting Khasinau high in the shoulder. Odd, she thought, my dad and my father are now suffering from the same type of wound. 


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7  
  
Vaughn and Will were shocked. Neither one understood what exactly had happened, but they could clearly see the hatred in Sydney's eyes.  
  
"Syd, is he..." Will ventured.  
  
"Dead? No, unfortunately. Vaughn, you get Khasinau. Will help me with..." she wasn't sure what to call him now. "Help me with my dad."  
  
"Syd, what was that about?"  
  
"I'm sorry Will, I know that you're really confused right now, you too Vaughn, I'll explain everything when we get back to the plane.  
  
Will was surprised when he went to help Syd carry Jack. He'd expected to have to carry the majority of Jack's weight. He was wrong. She unbelievably strong, and he could see every one of her muscles rippling through the meshed shirt she was wearing. Why didn't I notice how fit she was?  
  
Sydney could see that Will was gawking at her, and it made her uncomfortable. "Will." He quickly looked up, and for the second time in less than 20 minutes, she saw him blush. Then she remembered the speech that he'd given in the safehouse. "...I just love you." Oh no, she thought how could this happen? What are you thinking, Will! This can't go on, he'll only get hurt. She gave Will a reproachful glance, and continued to get Jack, and the rest of them, safely to the Jeep.  
  
"Vaughn, Will, you two go ahead and change. Make sure that you get all that blood off, and see if you can get dad's wound to stop bleeding. Hurry, I'm going to need plenty of time to get rid of this hair, and all of this blood."  
  
The two wasted no time following her orders. It stung their pride a little to be bossed around, but they knew that Sydney had done this many times before.  
  
"Hold on!" Syd started the Jeep and peeled out of the warehouse. "Make sure Khasinau is secured!" She glanced in the mirror just as Vaughn stripped off his shirt. She couldn't keep her eyes off his well-built body. She looked away just in time to see that there was a turn. She swung the Jeep around just missing the wall. "Sorry! Everybody alright?"  
  
"Yeah. It's your turn, Syd." She turned around and saw Vaughn standing beside her, wearing one of his work suits.  
  
"Hey, I'm gonna need your help," she whispered mischievously. She smiled when he raised his eyebrows in question. "I've got blood on my back." She said it seriously, but he could see that she was smiling.  
  
"What about Will?"  
  
"He'll drive. I can't let him help. I think he's in love with me."  
  
"Yeah, I noticed that," Vaughn said, clearly bothered."  
  
"Will!"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"You've got to drive."  
  
"What? I--but I don't know the way."  
  
"Just keep going straight, we'll be done before you need to turn off," Vaughn said.  
  
Syd and Vaughn headed to the back. "I'll let you know when I need your help." She took off her sorry excuse for a shirt, and began to wash off her mother's blood. "I wish her blood was as easy to get out of me as it is to get off.  
  
"Syd..."  
  
"I know, I know." She turned and gave him a small smile. "O.K., I need you now." She handed him the wet cloth and continued talking. "Get the rest of it while I lose this insane wig." She could barely concentrate on anything except Vaughn's hand on her shoulder, and the way he was gently scrubbing her back. She glanced over her shoulder at him and could tell that he was just as affected by it as she was. He flashed her a nervous grin and she turned back around. When she did so she saw Will starring at her in the rear view mirror, he was obviously hurt. She looked away from his gaze. Using a mirror, she finally got her wig off and then sent Vaughn back to the front to take the wheel. 


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8  
  
Will was completely shocked. He'd never seen Syd in just her bra. Now, not only had she been wearing one for a shirt, but also she'd let that "Vaughn" guy give her a rub down when all she was wearing was her bra! He wasn't exactly jealous, he was just protective. Syd was like a little sister to him. Sure she was attractive, he'd have to be blind not to see it, but his feelings for her didn't go past friendship. he knew what she was thinking, after all he had been gawking at her. She thought he was in love with her. He had too at one point, but after Danny's death he'd discovered that his feelings were no longer romantic.  
  
He sat down beside Sydney but didn't say anything. He'd learned long ago that if you just rush into a conversation with this woman, you could easily back yourself into a corner. She was too hard to read, so there was no way to know if she was angry or not.  
  
"Will, I'm sorry about all of this. It shouldn't have happened. I shouldn't have let it."  
  
"You did everything you could to keep me off this story. It's not your fault that I continued my investigation."  
  
"No, I could've told you. I could have warned you. You had no idea the kind of risks that you were taking."  
  
"You're right, I didn't, but--"  
  
"Hey Syd, we've got company," Vaughn interrupted.  
  
"Where?"  
  
"Behind us, three of four cars back."  
  
"I see it. Let me drive."  
  
"By all means..." He was teasing her! Of all the times to tease, he picked now.  
  
Syd frowned at him in mock frustration, and said in a southern drawl, "This is serious, Mr. Vaughn, now sit down and buckle up." Then in her regular voice, "Will, sit down and find something to hold on to. This could get rough."  
  
"Syd, the last car chase you were in you ended up driving off of a pier. Try to avoid that, O.K?" Vaughn was  
  
still teasing her.  
  
"I'll try my best."  
  
"Wait a minute," Will said, "when was this?"  
  
"A few months ago, why?"  
  
"Where were you?"  
  
"L.A...."  
  
"Cops?"  
  
"You saw it. I can't believe that you watched me escaping from the--"  
  
"Syd," Vaughn interrupted, "he doesn't need to hear about this right now. We're in the middle of something."  
  
"Right...sorry."  
  
The chase was on. The people tailing them made their move sooner that anyone expected. As soon as Syd pulled off of the main road, they pulled up beside them, on the driver's side, and started shooting. Syd was completely vulnerable. The first shot shattered her side window. The glass showered down on her, cutting up her left arm, leg, and side. The second shot hit the windshield. "Stay down!" Syd screamed. The pursuers continued to riddle the jeep with bullets until Syd swerved, smashing into the side of their sports car. The jolt from the impact was enough to bring Jack into consciousness.  
  
"Syd, you dad's awake!" Will was terrified. "What should I do?"  
  
Vaughn answered, "Just make sure that you both stay down!"  
  
"Hold on!" Syd warned. She slammed the gas peddle to the floor. When she got in front of the other car, she slammed on the breaks and slid broadside right in the their path. The sports car slammed into the back half of the jeep.  
  
"Is everyone alright?" Syd asked.  
  
When Vaughn saw that everyone is their vehicle was fine, he grabbed his gun and jumped out to secure their attackers. He yanked open the driver's side door, revealing the two dead men. The driver had a piece of glass for the windshield through his neck, and the side of the passenger's skull was smashed. He looked up at Syd and sadly shook his head. "Their both dead, Syd." When he saw her eyes fill with tears he walked over and kissed her gently on the forehead. "Why the tears? It wasn't your fault."  
  
She allowed a sad smile to cross her lips. "You've been talking to Will haven't you? My father too. 'It wasn't your fault Syd.' You need a new line," she sighed, "because I've stopped buying that one."   
  
She turned around when she heard her dad moan in pain. "At least we're still on land..." Everyone laughed, mostly from the shock of hearing Jack teasing Syd. They never once thought that he had a sense of humor. "Yes, I am human..." there was a touch of sarcasm in his pain filled voice. 


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9  
  
~The Plane~  
  
"O.K., Will, I know you have questions, even more than the last time we had this conversation, but"  
  
"But you can't answer them. Syd, I know, we've went over this."  
  
"Yes, but now you've seen, and heard, too much. You have to have some answers. Most likely you'll end up being recruited now, seeing as how you know more than most people at the CIA do." It was obvious to everyone that this was just about the last conversation that Sydney wanted to be having. "We have a long flight ahead of us, so you can go ahead and ask me questions?"  
  
"I don't know where to start."  
  
"Maybe I should start." Syd went on to tell him about her being recruited and the things that followed, but Will stopped her when she got to the part about Danny.  
  
"So they just killed him, no questions asked?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"O.K., can I ask my questions now?" He continued when she nodded. "What was Danny really doing with those plane tickets?"  
  
"He wasn't doing anything, Will. He never knew about them."  
  
"Then why was he leaving with a woman named Kate Jones? Who is she?"  
  
Sydney sat ram-rod straight, obviously shocked.  
  
"You know her don't you?"  
  
"What do know about Kate Jones, Will?"  
  
"Nothing, really. All I know is that she was supposed to be going to some foreign country with Danny and was impersonated by a woman who was later murdered, despite the fact that she's supposed to be dead."  
  
"Will," Syd paused trying to make this easier for him. When she couldn't think of a way, she decided that it would be easiest to be blunt. "I'm Kate Jones. It's one of my many aliases." She could tell that he was shocked. He starred blankly at her for a few moments, before turning to look out the window. "Will, look at me." He did. "You have to accept the fact that you know practically nothing about me."  
  
"Yes I do Syd."  
  
"No...you don't."  
  
"Then tell me Syd. You know I love you, regardless of what you're about to tell me."  
  
"Will..."  
  
"It's not like that Syd. I'm not in love with you. At one point I thought that I was, but then after Danny was killed, everything changed. When I thought that I'd caught him cheating on you, I was furious. I kept asking myself, 'How could he do that to her?' Then I learned about SD-6, and my feelings started to change. Syd, you're like my little sister."  
  
"How much do you know about SD-6?"  
  
"Practically nothing, except that they're dangerous...and evil."  
  
"That's for sure. Do you have more questions for me?"  
  
"Yes. Ummm...I thought you're mom was dead."  
  
Syd had tried to prepare herself for this question. She couldn't stand the thought that Will would know about what her mother had done...to her, and to her country. "I did too." She took a deep breath to keep her tears from falling.  
  
"When did you find out?"  
  
They both looked up when Vaughn walked back. He walked over and sat beside Sydney, and seeing her tears, put his arm around her shoulder. "What's going on?"  
  
"I was getting ready to tell him about my mother."  
  
"Syd..."  
  
"He knows too much to be kept in the dark. He deserves to know the truth. Besides, we've pretty much thrown protocol out the window."  
  
Vaughn nodded his approval.  
  
"Wait a minute Syd. The first thing I want to know is why I've never seen this guy before. It's obvious that you care for each other. Why didn't you ever bring him around?"  
  
"Well...because I work for the CIA," Vaughn answered.  
  
"And..."  
  
"And technically, we're enemies," Syd looked down at her feet when she said that. She was moments away from losing control.  
  
"Enemies?"  
  
She nodded. "I work for SD-6." Will didn't react. He just stood there. It was too much for Sydney to take. "I'm sorry, I can't do this." She turned and walked away, leaving Will and Vaughn alone.  
  
"She--She's an enemy of the CIA?"  
  
"No, not really. She's a double agent. She's been working for SD-6 for about seven years now, but she only learned the truth after Danny's death."  
  
"A double?"  
  
"Yes. She still works for SD-6, but she is...leaking information and trading artifacts to the CIA."  
  
"Isn't that..."  
  
"Dangerous? Extremely. That's why we can't be seen together. I'm her handler," he knew he needed to explain when he saw Will's confused face, "she gets her mission form SD-6, contacts us, and I give her her counter mission. If we are seen together, we'll be killed."  
  
"I still don't understand, you obviously love her, couldn't you just get you CIA buddies to arrange a date for you two or something?"  
  
"Well...no. Agent/Handler relationships are strictly forbidden. I could very well lose my job, or worse, when the CIA finds out what I'm doing."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Syd, Jack, and I, are all going against the CIA just being here. Sydney and Jack are in twice as deep because they're also going against SD-6, which if discovered will get them killed. Yes, Jack is also a double."  
  
"Why are you going to be in so much trouble?"  
  
"Well, the document that we traded for you..." her continued when Will nodded, "was priceless. Syd and Dixon stole it in Paris, that's why she was there. It can't be read until you use a certain liquid to reveal the ink."  
  
"Well, what's so bad about that?"  
  
"In order to get you back, Syd had to steal the page from SD-6, in the process possibly blowing her cover, and Jack had to steal the ampoule of liquid from the CIA."  
  
"Wow..."  
  
"I know."  
  
"So what about Syd's mom?"  
  
Vaughn went on to tell Will the story about how Syd had out about her mom.  
  
"So when I saw her on TV..."  
  
"She was escaping from the F.B.I."  
  
"What's she really like? Sydney, that is. Tell me about her."  
  
Vaughn took on a dreamy look when he started to talk about Sydney. His eyes strayed to where she sat at the other end of the plane. "She's amazing."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"She's incredible. Everything in her life revolves around darkness and deceit, but she hasn't let it darken her." He looked back to Will. "Will, when I first saw her, she had this crazy pink hair, like your sister's I presume, and her cheek was all swollen from the same torture that you just recently went through. I could have sworn that she was insane, but then I got to know her. She'd just lost the man she loved, and found out that she was working for the enemy of the United States. Despite that, she was still strong." He looked back at Will and gave him a small smile. "You might find this interesting: She knows almost every major foreign language, she's a terrific actress, and could whoop Bruce Lee any day of the week."  
  
Now it was Will's turn to stare at Syd. "Are you sure we're talking about the same Sydney Bristow?"  
  
Vaughn smiled dreamily, "Yes, the one and only." 


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10  
  
Home. Sydney never thought that anything would look so sweet. The one thing she longed for was a nice long conversation with Francie, she always had a soothing effect on her. Syd stood at the door, fumbling with her keys, thinking about what she was going to tell her friend. She hadn't planned on having to make up a cover story, but she hadn't exactly expected a deadly car chase either. Maybe she won't notice. Syd was wearing a sleeveless shirt, not good for hiding gashed arms. Oh, she'll notice... She finally got the door unlocked and pushed her way in.  
  
"Syd?" Francie walked around the corner and stopped dead in her tracks. "Oh my... What happened to you!?!"  
  
She gave Francie a confused look, trying to act like she didn't know what she was talking about. "Syd, your arm."  
  
"Oh!" She looked down and gave it a dismissing glance. "It's not so bad," she looked up and gave a small smile, "you should see the rest of me."  
  
"How..."  
  
"Oh, it was no biggy." She decided to be honest, to a certain extent. "I was in a car accident."  
  
"Syd!"  
  
"It wasn't a big deal. Really. I didn't even have to go to the hospital."  
  
"How did you get so messed up?"  
  
"The window shattered. It kind of...well you can see what it did."  
  
"Wow... Are you sure you're alright?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine." She smiled at Francie reassuringly. "You know what? I think I'm gonna go take a nice long bath. Good night."  
  
"'Night." She still sounded a little doubtful, but let the subject drop.  
  
********  
  
Will lie in bed, starring at the ceiling. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't sleep. It seemed like every time he closed his eyes, he saw Sydney. Normally this wouldn't have been disturbing, but tonight it was. First he saw her with red hair, shoving some guy's head into a banister; with blue hair, lying unconscious in Vaughn's arms; then he saw the Sydney that he knew. It always happened the same way. The "regular" Syd would walk up, give him a big hug, then she would whisper something in some foreign language; someone would ring the doorbell, then break down the door and shoot her in the back. The pictures flashed through his mind repeatedly like a never-ending slideshow.  
  
He'd had enough. There was no way that he was going to get any sleep tonight, so he decided to make sure that Sydney was safe. He got up and started pacing around his room. Then it hit him. He grabbed a phone book from his bedside table, and looked up the number for Michael Vaughn. 


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11  
  
Vaughn was scared awake by the loud ringing of his telephone. He glanced over at his alarm clock. Who would be calling me at 2:30 in the morning? He snatched up the phone and impatiently growled his greeting.  
  
"Uhh...Is this Michael Vaughn?"  
  
I swear, if this is a salesman... "Yes..."  
  
"I-I'm calling about Sydney. I was just wondering--"  
  
"Who is this?"  
  
"Will. Will Tippin."  
  
Vaughn mentally groaned. What is he thinking? "I'm sorry, I think you've got the wrong Michael Vaughn. I don't know you or your Sydney Bristow."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Yes!" He hung up the phone, more than a little disturbed that Will had been stupid enough to call him. We should have put that man in witness protection. He's going to be nothing but trouble!  
  
******  
  
~Sloane's Office~  
  
"Sir?"  
  
"Yes?" Sloane looked up to see the head of security standing at his door.  
  
"That reporter--Will Tippin?--he made a phone call to a... Michael Vaughn." Sloane simply stared at the man and waited for him to continue. "He asked about Miss Bristow. The guy said he didn't know any Sydney Bristow. Tippin only supplied her first name."   
  
"Why are you telling me this?"  
  
"Well sir, we checked him out...he's CIA. If he and Bristow are acquainted it's possible that..."  
  
"Yes, I see where you're going with this. Follow her. See who she talks to." The man nodded and turned to exit the office. "Oh, by the way, how's Jack?"  
  
"The medical report said that the wound was minor. It was caused by glass from the Bristows' car crash."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
*******  
  
~The next day~  
  
It was about 6:00 p.m. when Sydney got home from work. She'd only been in the house long enough to grab a bottle of water before the phone rang. She picked up the phone and rolled her eyes. "Hello?"  
  
"Joey's Pizza?"  
  
"Sorry, wrong number."  
  
She hung up the phone and groaned as she snatched up her keys and made her way to her car. She was so tired that she didn't notice the car that followed her all the way to the warehouse. 


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12  
  
When Sydney entered the warehouse, she made it clear that she wasn't at all happy to be there. She stomped up to Vaughn and then stood glaring at him.  
  
"What's wrong?" Vaughn was completely confused, and a little worried. He had bad news to tell her and he hated to have to lay it on her if she already had some of her own.  
  
"Nothing's wrong," she said on a sigh. "It's just been a long day. Sloane was acting weird and it's had me on edge."  
  
Vaughn looked down at the ground, knowing that what he was bout to tell her would not go over well.  
  
"Syd, we agreed not to put Will into a protection program, and not to recruit him, because he knew the risks. He knew all of the risks. You, along with the CIA, assumed that it would be O.K. now that he fully understood the circumstances. We were wrong." He turned around and picked up a newspaper. On the front page was an article that read: Secret Government Agency Responsible For Local Doctor's Murder.  
  
Sydney snatched the paper out of Vaughn's hands and started to read the article. She's only read the first few lines and already knew what was coming. She put her hand on her forehead to try to stop the spinning. "When was this published?"  
  
"This morning. Syd There's more. Will called me."  
  
"He did what?" She was shocked that Will would do something so stupid.  
  
"He called my house at about 2:30 this morning and said that he wanted to talk about you."  
  
Now Sydney needed to sit down. This was too much.  
  
"I guess we should have told him that this house was probably bugged." Vaughn looked away.  
  
"You didn't tell him? I thought we agreed that he needed to know everything."  
  
"We didn't think that it would be a good idea to tell him that there are people watching everything he does and listening to everything that he says. You know what that's like. We didn't think that it was necessary to put him through that. We didn't want him to become paranoid."  
  
Sydney knew what was coming. She had to go into witness protection. "Well.where am I going? When do I leave?"  
  
"You have to leave tonight. Right now."  
  
"Right now? What about Francie and Will?"  
  
"We'll take care of them. Will will be entering the program also, maybe even Francie. By the way, what did you tell her about your injuries?"  
  
She shrugged, "I told her the truth."  
  
"You-" Vaughn didn't get to finish his statement. A gunshot blasted through the quiet warehouse. Vaughn and Sydney spun around and saw Jack standing over the body of a sniper. Luckily, the man hadn't put up a fight, because Jack would've been no match with his arm in a sling.  
  
He looked up at the two with a solemn look on his face. "Sydney, you've been exposed. Sloane has ordered that you two, along with Will and Francie, be executed. He came in to tell me earlier today. I contacted Devlin. He's had it arranged that you, Will, and Francie will fly to Madrid tonight. It is very risky for the three of you to be together, but in this case, it's our only option.  
  
"Wait a minute," Sydney was confused, "Why does Francie need to be in protective custody?"  
  
"Sloane has lost all faith in you Sydney. As far as he's concerned, anyone that you are close to knows about SD-6. He won't take action against me; he still trusts me."  
  
"Well, why are we all going to Madrid?"  
  
"We still need you to run a few missions. You're going to need help, and we can't risk sending in any teams. You're not all going, Syd, Vaughn will be staying here."  
  
"Now, wait a minute. You want Will and Francie to help me on missions? I can't believe I'm hearing this! You want me to use my two best friends in the world to accomplish my missions? Neither one of them have ever even shot a gun! Not even at a target! I don't even think they can fight!"  
  
"That's why you have to train them."  
  
"I have to what?"  
  
"We tried to let them live normal lives Sydney." Vaughn could see that this wasn't going well. He put his hand on her shoulder and she turned her head to look at him. "We really did, but you know Sloane. He won't stop looking for them."  
  
She sighed in resignation. "O.K., how's this thing gonna work?" 


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13  
  
"O.K., how's this thing gonna work?" At this point Sydney was beyond arguing.  
  
"Your alias is Amelia Torres. You've lived in Cartagena for most of your life. You went to meet, and spend the summer with, your brother Josh Hunt...Will. He is returning with you to spend time with the father that he never knew. That's why you just bought a new home in Madrid. The man that will pose as your father is Antonio Torres. He spent a few years in the U.S. and did some work for the CIA. He will be your contact." Jack was desperately fighting for control. He had just recently started to repair his and Sydney's relationship, and now he was shipping her off to Spain.  
  
Sydney nodded her understanding. "What about Francie."  
  
"She will pose as Will's girlfriend."  
  
Syd smiled to herself. Despite her current situation, the thought of Francie and Will was amusing. The more she thought about it, the funnier it became. Before long she was giggling.  
  
"Syd, I don't think that this is very funny," Vaughn said.  
  
"I know, but I just pictured Will trying to pull the 'jealous boyfriend' act on Francie." She started laughing again. "I'm sorry, but she would so kick--"  
  
"Sydney. We need to concentrate here." Jack waited for Sydney to control herself before he continued. "We have a change of clothes and a new car waiting outside. The necessary items are also there; wigs, passports, credit cards, birth certificates, the works. Vaughn will get Will and you have to get Francie. We'll meet at the airport. Both of you remember that you've been marked. Make sure not to park directly in front of the house-- "  
  
"Yeah, dad. Espionage 101." Sydney didn't even blink when she used the word dad. She'd come to terms with the fact that Jack was not her biological father. As far as she was concerned, Khasinau was still just a prisoner of the United States government. Nothing more, nothing less.  
  
Jack and Vaughn watched as Sydney cautiously exited the warehouse. Jack took that opportunity to explain Vaughn's situation to him.  
  
Vaughn was relieved. Sure it would be a lot of work, but he was willing to do it. How hard can it be to learn Spanish? "So you're telling me that I only have to stay here long enough to learn Spanish?"  
  
"Yes. It will be much harder than you think. You could be here for up to a year. It all depends on how quick of a learner you are."  
  
"O.K. Let's do this."   
  
They both looked up when Sydney walked back into the warehouse. Vaughn's chin felt like it weighed a ton. He tried to keep it from falling open, but to no avail. Syd was wearing a black mini skirt, one of the shortest he'd ever seen, a purple spaghetti strap shirt, and a shoulder length blond wig. She looked gorgeous.  
  
"Sydney," Jack questioned, "why are you still here?"  
  
"I couldn't leave until I found out what was going to happen to Vaughn." She placed her hands on her hips. It made her look like a stubborn teenager.  
  
"Agent Vaughn will be joining you at a later time. Mr. Torres will find a way to get the two of you together. In the mean time, you will be busy teaching Will and Francie how to fight. Torres knows a place where you can train both yourself and them. Make sure that you don't let down your guard Sydney. It could cost you your life, and theirs."  
  
Syd looked over at Jack and gave him "the look." He took the hint and made his way back to his car. Syd turned to look at Vaughn. As usual he wasn't looking at her. She hated that! He has such gorgeous eyes, but I never get to see them! "Vaughn look at me." He did.   
  
Vaughn never allowed himself the privilege of looking into Sydney's eyes. Every time that he did he felt like he was twelve years old again. As they stood looking into each other's eyes, he felt himself start to blush. What's wrong with me? I'm blushing like a schoolgirl!  
  
Sydney didn't miss the fact that Vaughn started to blush. He's so cute! She grinned at him, and in his embarrassment, he looked away.  
  
"Be careful in Spain Sydney." He said, still not looking at her.  
  
"I will." She reached up, kissed him quickly on the cheek and walked away. She was surprised when she heard him yell her name and come running after her. When her caught up, he reached out and gently took her arm turning her around to face him. She had imagined this happening so many times that she wanted to pinch herself. She was still trying to decide if it was real when she felt his lips on hers. 


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14  
  
Sydney walked up and stood in front of her home. I can't believe I'm leaving here. She walked up to the door and unlocked it, pulling off her wig as she stepped through the door. "Francie, are you here?" No answer. "Francie?" Still nothing. She walked down the hall and knocked on the door. When she didn't get a response, she pushed it open. BANG! The bullet hit her in the arm. She cursed loudly and jumped back out of the door way, pressing her body against the wall. She looked down at her throbbing arm. I can't fight them with one arm. She quietly moved down the hall into the kitchen. She pulled a large butcher's knife out of a drawer and moved back to the hall, standing against the wall by the entrance.  
  
She could hear the men talking. "Did you get her?"  
  
"Yeah, I think. Watch this one while I check it out."  
  
Syd waited as the footsteps got closer. When the man stepped out of the hall, she used her good arm to grab him and cover his mouth, and her other to slit his throat. As he slumped to the ground, Sydney wanted to be sick. He probably didn't even know who he just risked his life for.  
  
She layed the knife down and picked up the man's gun. Quietly she made her way back down the hall. When she got to Francie's door, she pulled a mirror out of her purse and used it to look into the room. There was only one man left standing bent over Francie, whispering to her. Syd didn't want to kill this man too, but knew that she couldn't risk fighting him with one arm. He was just too big. She raised her gun, and pulled the trigger. The man collapsed on top of Francie causing her to let out a terrified scream.  
  
Francie froze. "Syd?" She couldn't believe that this was Sydney. This woman in the skimpy clothes, holding a gun, and clutching a bloody arm. "What's going on? Are you shot? Who were those guys? Did you k--"  
  
"Francie, calm down." Syd walked over and untied her. Francie could see the tears forming in her eyes from, what she assumed, was pain.  
  
"Are you alright?"  
  
"Yeah, it's not as bad as the other times..."  
  
Other times? "Syd, what other times? You've never been shot before...have you?"  
  
"Francie, I can't explain right now. We've got to go."  
  
"Go? Go where?"  
  
"The airport."  
  
"Why are-?"  
  
"Francie, we're in a lot of trouble right now. We have to go...we have to go to Spain to hide out."  
  
"Hide from what?"  
  
"Francie!" She closed her mouth, shocked and hurt. "I'm sorry, but we don't have time to talk right now. We've got to change, and get to the airport in," she looked at her watch, "twenty minutes. We're meeting Will and a freind."  
  
"Syd..."  
  
"I'm sorry, I'll explain it later."   
  
Francie watched Syd run out of her room, and return with some clothes. She caught them when Syd threw them to her.  
  
"Put these on. There's an I.D. in that purse. Try to do your hair and make up just like that. I'll be back. I have to clean up this arm and change. Can you be ready in five minutes?"  
  
She nodded, still stunned.  
  
Syd smiled wearily, and headed for her room. 


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15  
  
"Are you ready?"   
  
Francie looked at the mirror one last time, not believing her appearance. I don't even look like myself! I guess that's kind of the point though. She turned around when Syd walked in. "Wow." She was now wearing a strawberry-blond wig, a blue halter-top, and black pants. "What about your arm?"  
  
"It's fine. There's a sling out in the car, for emergencies, that will hide the wound. Ready?"  
  
Francie nodded and walked toward Syd. She stopped when she saw the man that Sydney had shot. "Is he...did you...?"   
  
"Yeah." Francie starred at her in disbelief. Syd walked over and grabbed Francie's hand. "Francie, do me a favor. There's another body out in the hall. Please don't look at it. It isn't pretty, and I really don't want you to have to see. Can you do that for me?" Francie nodded.  
  
As they walked down the hall, Francie's curiosity got the better of her. Syd blocked her view as they passed, so she glanced back at it. She almost threw up. The man was lying in a pool of blood, his eyes were glazed over, and the skin around his neck was hanging loosely. She swung her head back around to face Sydney and found her looking at her practically in tears. "Francie..."  
  
"You?" She watched as Syd nodded.  
  
"I didn't want you to see. I'm not the person you think I am, but you have to understand that I didn't want to kill those men. It makes me just as sick as you, but it was the only way. There was absolutely no way that I could've fought them off with this arm." She held up her bandaged arm for emphasis. "Normally I would've just knocked them out. I couldn't help it. Do you understand?"  
  
"No, but I get the feeling that there's much more that you're not telling me."  
  
"Yes there is. I'll explain it in the car. Let's go."  
  
********  
  
"Syd, this isn't your car!" Sydney looked over the car at Francie. And motioned for her to be quiet. She pulled out her keys, and unlocked the door.  
  
"Get in."  
  
"Syd, can you tell me what's going on now?"  
  
"Yeah. First of all, I don't work for the bank. I work for the CIA. I am...was a double agent for a renegade intelligence agency called SD-6. For the past year, I've been trying to take them down. They found out and now I'm being forced to enter witness protection."  
  
Francie starred blindly out the window. I can't believe this. It's like a bad dream! Sydney CIA? Impossible...isn't it? Well, she did take out those two guys and she does seem to know what's going on...maybe she is. "Syd?"  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"Why do I have to go? Why would they want me? I didn't do anything!" She looked over at Sydney and could see that she was about to cry.  
  
"I know. They want you, because they don't trust me. They think that after Danny, and Will, that you know too. They can't risk that."  
  
"Danny...Will, what do they have to do with this?"  
  
"They both found out," her voice cracked, "that I was a spy. I told Danny and SD-6 had him killed. Will was investigating his murder and stumbled onto it. He wrote an article that, after he disappeared, was published."  
  
"Do you know where Will was?"  
  
"Yes. He went to Paris to meet someone that was leaking information about SD-6 to him. I happened to be there also, and broke him out. He was put into a CIA safe house, but it was compromised and Will was captured and tortured."  
  
"Tortured!?!"  
  
"Yes. I've seen worse...been worse, but it was still bad."  
  
Francie didn't say another word the rest of the way to the airport. She just starred out the window, occasionally glancing over at the woman beside her. 


End file.
